09/01/2026
Broomfield girls swimming led by mother-daughter coaching duo When Emily Austin first picked up a clipboard for Broomfield boys and girls swimming, her daughter Kaylee wasn’t even a twinkle in her eye yet. The year was 1998. Emily, having just moved from Iowa, decided to join the Eagles’ coaching staff as an assistant during the tail end of the girls season, with the boys just about to gear up. Over 27 years later, her girls are well in the mix to chase a Class 4A state title, but this time around, 21-year-old Kaylee will be there right beside her, working out all the metrics. “It was really fun (in 1998) and I decided to stay forever,” Emily said, laughing. “Obviously, things change over the years and the type of team you have changes over the years. I’ve had some years where we didn’t have any state qualifiers to years where loads and loads (qualify), where the boys have been stronger than the girls. “So you kind of had to adapt to what the season is. I handled the girls and the boys just a little bit differently because girls and boys are different. They need to have some fun, but there needs to be balance and work them hard. That’s something that took me about two years to figure out, but I feel like I’m really good at that — editing as needed to the needs of the day. You don’t have to stick to your strict schedule if something is up with the kids.” This year, the Eagles should have more than enough state qualifiers to work with. Kaylee knows the feeling well after swimming for the team herself from 2018-22. She began her competitive swimming career at 9 and, having been around the sport all her life, she knew it was a no-brainer which high school she would attend. Even if they lived in the Adams 12 district at the time. “None of the ones closest to me really felt like a good fit,” Kaylee said. “I obviously grew up around Broomfield with my mom coaching there before I was even born. That’s where I spent my afternoons after school when I was younger, so when it came time to decide where to go to high school, I decided that felt like community and that’s where I wanted to go. I loved swimming because of her and my family.” Kaylee Austin (left) and Emily Austin (right) pose for a photo during Kaylee's senior banquet in 2022. (Photo provided by Kaylee Austin). At the start of this season, Emily knew that she would need a little more help with her large roster of athletes, nearly 60. She proposed the idea to Kaylee without hesitation, especially when she considered that Kaylee’s class was only one year removed from this year’s seniors. Kaylee said it fit well with her hefty class schedule at CU Boulder, where she’s working toward a degree in media studies. “I’m enough years out of high school that I can come at it with a different headspace, I guess. I am younger and can relate a little closer to some of the girls. My experience is more recent, so it brings a different perspective,” Kaylee said. “I can be like, ‘You know what? I know you might not want to do this at practice right now. I was in the same position. I get it exactly, and, but there’s no way you’re going to get better.’” The pair, Kaylee said, provides a valuable balance. Emily brings the respect and attention awarded to such a long-tenured coach, while Kaylee can joke around with the girls a bit more and discuss their personal lives. Whatever the dynamic, it seems to be working wonders. Just last week, the Eagles boasted nine top-five times within the classification, and there’s still a month left until the state meet to show off their talent even more. “Occasionally, I’ll scold her as a mom does, and then I’m like, ‘OK, check that just a little bit,’” Emily said. “It’s actually been a lot easier than I thought it would be, to be honest with you. I thought we might have some battles, but we work really well together, as it turns out.” Kaylee Austin (front left) and Emily Austin (front right) pose with the Broomfield girls swimming team after the REX Memorial Coaches Invitational on Dec. 20, 2026. (Photo provided by Kaylee Austin). View a list of Prep sports and high school teams we cover.
When Emily Austin first picked up a clipboard for Broomfield boys and girls swimming, her daughter Kaylee wasn’t even a twinkle in her eye yet.
